WA threat to exit online NAPLAN

Camera IconStudents at Richmond Primary School in East Fremantle sat the online version of the test last year.Picture: Ian Munro

Education Minister Sue Ellery has threatened to pull WA schools out of online NAPLAN tests next year, saying she found the lack of clarity around reports of possible discrepancies in this year’s results “incredibly frustrating”.

The national teachers’ union has called for an explanation after reports emerged yesterday the results could be delayed because of difficulties comparing test scores from students who sat the test online and those who did the pencil and paper version.

Ms Ellery said she was concerned the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority was unable to release results yet, given it had previously assured ministers there would be no issues and that going online would lead to results being released earlier than in previous years.

“WA has had significant engagement in the online trial, but we will not proceed to roll this out across the board until the system is ready,” she said. “If the stories that we’re hearing to date are that the system is not ready, we will not proceed with the final rollout.”

Ms Ellery said reports had suggested there were discrepancies with the NAPLAN data.

“I understand the Australian Education Senior Officials Committee has requested further advice about how the results compare between the form of test taken,” she said.

“Following the AESOC meeting (yesterday), we’re still no clearer and that’s incredibly frustrating. There are either discrepancies or there are not.”

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ACARA said though results had not been delayed, it would work with education officials to have the reports to schools and parents this month.

It said the test regime was in transition, so it had to give extra attention to reviewing data and the comparison between results from paper and online versions of the tests.

ACARA chief executive Robert Randall said its measurement experts had advised the data was valid and comparable.

Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe seized on the controversy to renew its call to scrap computer-based NAPLAN tests.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said it was disappointing to see some people mount scare campaigns about NAPLAN by taking advantage of the extra precautions to ensure the first year of NAPLAN online results were rigorous and ready for release.

“Australians should see through the scare campaign being peddled by the union as little more than cheap opportunism from those who have always opposed parents receiving transparent and accountable information on student and school performance,” he said.